Maternal mortality: beyond overmedicalized solutions

Maternal deaths, particularly racial disparities in maternal deaths, represent a deeper problem than their medicalized solutions reflect-one deeply rooted in the devaluation of women's well-being, institutional inequality, and racism. Most policy solutions for addressing maternal mortality involve actionable goals within the purview of healthcare providers, medical institutions, and insurance providers. Although we should continue studying the causes of maternal mortality through maternal mortality review committees, reducing racism in medicine with implicit bias training, and standardizing pregnancy care, there is a pressing need to challenge the processes and institutions that lead to health inequities. A woman's income level, insurance status, housing stability, country of origin, gender identity, or skin color should not dictate how likely she is to die from a pregnancy-related cause.